Magadha

Magadha was an ancient Indian kingdom and later empire located in the eastern part of the subcontinent, in what is now southern Bihar and parts of Jharkhand and Bengal. The region was centered on the fertile Ganges plain and grew around important river systems, trade routes, and urban centers. Its early capitals included Rajgir (Rajagaha) and, from the Mauryan period onward, Pataliputra (modern Patna), a strategic hub on the Ganges.

The history of Magadha begins to take shape in the first millennium BCE. It rose under the Haryanka dynasty, with rulers such as Bimbisara and Ajatashatru, and later came under the Nanda dynasty. The Maurya Empire originated in Magadha after Chandragupta Maurya, with the guidance of Kautilya (Chanakya), unified large parts of the Indian subcontinent by the 4th century BCE. Ashoka the Great expanded and consolidated the empire and promoted Buddhist institutions across his realm. After the Mauryas, Magadha remained a central political and cultural region, controlled by successive dynasties and later playing a leading role in eastern Indian polities. In the medieval era, the region was associated with the rise of the Pala Empire in Bengal and Bihar, and continued to be influential in northern and eastern India.

Magadha is also notable for its cultural contributions, including the growth of urban administration, trade networks, and religious centers. It is closely linked with early Buddhist and Jain traditions, and with sites such as Bodh Gaya and Nalanda, which became important centers of learning in the region. The legacy of Magadha shaped political thought and the historical development of eastern India for centuries.